I will declare the decree:
The LORD has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron;
You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’

It occurred to me in reading this that the last two lines are usually overlooked. The inheritance that is to be given to the “Son” is the nations – the heathen nations, defeated and broken. From David’s perspective, these were national enemies of his kingdom in Israel. In prophetic fulfillment, Jesus is the true Son who inherits the nations.

I am in New York for the Dwell Conference. I am tired. But I am in the middle of nations. I was on a subway two hours ago shoulder to shoulder with the nations. Those people on that subway are the Son’s inheritance – they belong to Jesus, one way or another.

The question is, How do they belong to him? This psalm has mainly judgment in view -  the nations belong to the Son in that he will one day judge – and destroy – the wicked.

But there is another way. That way is the way of faith by which the nations enter into the Abrahamic family of promise – and through the blood of Jesus become children of God.

How have I become hard to the truth of this? It is one or the other, and every person, every soul, is headed for one of two destinies – the inheritance of grace or the inheritance of destruction.

God help me this week to become soft again to this truth, to have a new passion for the nations on the subway, or on church st., or in the office next door. Let me do all I can to help secure the nations as an inheritance of grace for my God and king, Jesus.

Let such be the mission of us all.